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RAW photos convert to JPEG when imported from camera

Community Beginner ,
Aug 31, 2018 Aug 31, 2018

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Brand new to Lightroom.  On a free trial.     i just imported RAW photos (shot as RAW only, not RAW + JPG)  from my Canon EOS T3 and when I pull the thumbnails up they show as jpegs.  This certainly could be user error but not sure how that can be.   Do I need to convert them somehow? Thanks for any help possible. 

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LEGEND , Aug 31, 2018 Aug 31, 2018

All I can say is that what you are describing is not a normal and natural process in Lightroom. There isn't a process that will change a raw image into a JPEG. Something else is happening in this instance. Are you really using the cloud version of Lightroom?

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LEGEND ,
Aug 31, 2018 Aug 31, 2018

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All I can say is that what you are describing is not a normal and natural process in Lightroom. There isn't a process that will change a raw image into a JPEG. Something else is happening in this instance. Are you really using the cloud version of Lightroom?

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Community Beginner ,
Aug 31, 2018 Aug 31, 2018

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Jim

The trial version is the cloud version. When/if purchase I would not need

this. Yeah, I don’t get it. Shot everything in Raw only and all of the

thumbnails have a jpeg suffix. Perhaps my camera is malfunctioning

somehow. Hmmm? I double checked the camera quality setting and it has

been on raw only. Thanks anyway for responding. I wonder if I somehow

imported directly from the card (not in the camera) if that might be a

solution. Not sure that’s even possible or how I would do it, but a crazy

thought. I’m a novice at this stuff.

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Community Expert ,
Sep 02, 2018 Sep 02, 2018

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Importing directly from the card is always a better idea. Card readers are generally cheap and many computers include a sd card reader and sometimes you will find them on displays too. If your camera shoots SD cards, USB readers can be had for less than $10.

When you import, make sure you don't use some software utility that came with the camera as some of those convert to jpeg for you. Make sure you only directly import in Lightroom whether it is through a USB cable to your camera or through a card reader.

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Community Beginner ,
Sep 02, 2018 Sep 02, 2018

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Thanks for your reply. I deleted Lightroom and started over. I had the photos originally imported to my computer photo app and I think Lightroom was selecting from there rather than from a new import from my camera. Now working properly. Thanks again.

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 12, 2018 Dec 12, 2018

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This is exactly the problem I am having. Am shooting RAW with an iPhone 7 plus, with third party app Pro Camera. Images imported to Lightroom are automatically changed to JPEG. Whole reason I got app was to shoot in RAW and edit RAW images in Lightroom/Photoshop. Can anybody tell me how to accomplish that? Thank you! Lorraine

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Community Expert ,
Dec 12, 2018 Dec 12, 2018

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You need to make sure the app writes separate dng and heif or jpeg to the

camera roll. If they are combined Lightroom will only import the heif or

jpeg. This is a setting in camera+ In quality and format.

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 12, 2018 Dec 12, 2018

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In fact, unedited images show up in Camera Roll as RAW. Don’t see a designation for Edited images, however, but figure they are heic or jpeg. In ProCamera app, unedited images are RAW and all other images not shot in RAW are labeled HEIC. Not sure where to find the setting “camera+ in quality and format.” Went to Settings and Camera, but saw nothing listed as “quality and format.” Can you please direct me? Many thanks for your help! Lorraine

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 12, 2018 Dec 12, 2018

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Just found the app Camera. Having just bought ProCamera, do I now need to delete it and get Camera?

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 12, 2018 Dec 12, 2018

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Found this on the ProCamera site and am following instructions below re Image Capture. Will report back. Many thanks. L.

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Community Beginner ,
Dec 12, 2018 Dec 12, 2018

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Oops. Forgot to include screen shot.

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New Here ,
Apr 11, 2019 Apr 11, 2019

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FYI, I know this post is a couple months old, but I'm having same problem right now with Lightroom CC on Mac. I'm shooting in RAW only and can import them to lightroom cc from iOS Photos app on my iPad Pro no problem. But for some reason when I import from Photos on the Mac, Lightroom converts them to JPEG before importing. They show clearly as the full RAW files in the Photos app. Utterly crazy. Sorry, I know it's an old thread but anyone out there with any thoughts/help?

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New Here ,
May 23, 2019 May 23, 2019

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Don't import from Photos on Mac. Import directly from the camera. I had the same problem. All you need to do is when you import photos to Lightroom, connect the camera to Mac and click on camera when importing. That way it imports in RAW.

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New Here ,
Sep 18, 2020 Sep 18, 2020

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Did you ever figure this out? It is happening to me as well. I am taking my card out of my camera and inserting it into the Macbook Pro card reader. All my pictures are jpg and not raw. Help!?

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Community Beginner ,
Sep 18, 2020 Sep 18, 2020

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If I load my images right into lightroom from my card, it's fine. But if I load them onto my iMac, in RAW, and then try to import them into LightroomCC, they convert to JPG. 

I think loading straight from the card helps (which is seems like you're doing) and using Lightroom CLASSIC instead of CC (Creative Cloud) is also a good idea. 

I have a Canon. So my RAW files are CR2. I don't know if this happens with all RAW file types or just Canon. 

 

Also if you're using the apple Photos app, at all, don't. I think it converts file types. 

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New Here ,
Feb 28, 2022 Feb 28, 2022

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I use sony and i have the same issue !!

I was previously using ipad pro and what i would always do is import all the raw photos to ipad and after sorting them out, import those photos to lightroom ( they'd stay in same RAW file format ) 

but 

now when i switched to mac, i've been following the same procedure from last month. Lol and I JUST CAME TO KNOW THAT THIS WHOLE TIME LIGHTROOM WAS CHANGING THEM TO JPEGS, and i have been editing jpegs instead of raws.

( that's why in the begining i thought macbook was way more faster at exporting photos 🤣,,,,,,, cz it was working with jpegs not raws )  

I know that you can direclty import from Sd card to lightroom ........ but why isn't Adobe fixing this ??? 

 

It's such a inconvenience : (

 

 

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New Here ,
Jan 08, 2021 Jan 08, 2021

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You've probably already figured this out but, just in case....  If you are trying to import photos from apple photos to Lightroom in RAW, create a file on your desktop or wherever to store your exports.  From Apple Photos, select File>Export>Export Unmodified Original> to the folder that you created.  Then go to Lightroom, Add Photos, select the folder you created, your photo, and it should import as RAW and not JPEG.  I'm using a Sony camera so mine show up ARW.  Hope this is what you were looking for.

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New Here ,
Jan 10, 2021 Jan 10, 2021

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Thank you so much!

Sent from my iPhone

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New Here ,
Feb 28, 2022 Feb 28, 2022

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ohh THANKYOU soooooooo MUCH 

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New Here ,
Nov 28, 2019 Nov 28, 2019

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The same thing is happening to me! It was fine on my Lenovo but since I've switched to Mac I've had this issue. 

 

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New Here ,
Feb 11, 2020 Feb 11, 2020

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I am having the same issue. Unfortunately, I have saved all my RAW photos in my external drive and deleted them from my memory cards already. They are shot RAW, but when imported to Lightroom Classic (updated cloud version) they automatically turned to JPEGS. It sucks as I always edit my photos from RAW. Any help? suggestions?

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New Here ,
Feb 12, 2020 Feb 12, 2020

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I am having the same problem and it's driving me crazy!!

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New Here ,
Mar 12, 2020 Mar 12, 2020

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Have you sorted this out?

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New Here ,
May 31, 2020 May 31, 2020

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I am also having this same problem! Has anyone solved it, if so please help!!

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LEGEND ,
May 31, 2020 May 31, 2020

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I will say it again. Lightroom does not, will not, cannot convert raw files to JPEG. It cannot and does not happen. I don't know what your workflow is, but YOU are doing something wrong. It would be a good idea at this point if you would start a new thread fully describing what you do when you import your images. State your platform, operating system, exact version of Lightroom, and as much information about the steps you take during import. There is no process anywhere, not from Adobe, not from Apple, not from Microsoft that will convert a raw file to JPEG. It doesn't happen.

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